Proposed Bexar County River and Creek Capital Improvement Program

February 10, 2021

AAMPO

1 Background • Bexar County, the City of San Antonio, and the River Authority have a long established, successful collaboration building infrastructure projects including river and creek improvements and flood control structures

• River Authority coordinates with governments and community organizations to maintain an on-going list of potential river and creek projects throughout local watersheds meeting various objectives

• Judge Wolff requested River Authority compile and present a list of river and creek projects to Commissioners Court for consideration for funding in the Fiscal Year 20-21 Capital Improvement Project Budget

• Program to include projects to be completed within a 5-10 year timeframe

2 Objectives Continue or complement a previous capital investment

Restore a degraded aquatic or riparian ecosystem

Improve water quality and flood control

Promote the addition of trails and other recreational and park amenities

Connect neighborhoods, public institutions, city and county parks to the linear creekway trail network

Leverage funding with other project collaborators to promote cost- effectiveness of project

Serve as a catalyst for future economic development along rivers and creeks

3 Understanding Watersheds in Bexar County

A watershed describes an area of land that contains a common set of streams and rivers that all naturally drain into a single larger body of water, such as a larger river, a lake or an ocean.

There are five major watersheds in Bexar County.

44 Watershed Map San Pedro Creek Phase 3 San Pedro Creek Phase 4 San Antonio River/San Pedro Creek Link Project Westside Creeks Ecosystem Restoration Alazán, Apache and Martinez Creeks Zarzamora Creek Trail Connection Martinez Creek Trail Brackenridge Park Ecosystem Restoration Spirit Reach San Antonio Zoo Well Replacement River Road Restoration Broadway Connection to Brackenridge Park/Spirit Reach

55 Watershed Map Continued Medina River Trail Connection to Texas A&M Medina River Trail Connection to Von Ormy Mitchell Lake Enhancements Salado Creek Ecosystem Restoration Salado Creek Connection to the San Antonio River/Mission Reach Menger Creek Connection to Salado Creek Mud Creek Trail Connection Leon Creek Trail Connection – Rodriguez Park Leon Creek Trail Connection – Raymond Russell Park Leon Creek Trail Connection – Pearsall Park to Spicewood Park Culebra Creek trail Connection – Cathedral Rock Park to Culebra Road

66 Coordination with City of San Antonio

Number of Estimated Projects Project Costs Connections to the 8 $83,520,000 Howard W. Peak Greenway Trail System Other projects in County 14 $156,900,000 River & Creek Program

Total 22 240,420,000

7 San Antonio Watershed San Pedro Creek Phase 3 San Pedro Creek Phase 4 San Antonio River/San Pedro Creek Link Project Westside Creeks Ecosystem Restoration Alazán, Apache and Martinez Creeks Zarzamora Creek Trail Connection Martinez Creek Trail Brackenridge Park Ecosystem Restoration Spirit Reach San Antonio Zoo Well Replacement River Road Ecosystem Restoration Broadway Connection to Brackenridge Park/Spirit Reach

78 San Antonio Watershed: Projects

San Pedro Creek Project Length Estimated Project (miles) Project Objectives Cost San Pedro Creek Phase 3 Ecosystem Restoration 0.3 $23,900,000 (Alamo Street to Mission Reach) Included in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers/San Antonio River Authority Westside Creeks Ecosystem Restoration Project

San Pedro Creek Phase 4 0.4 $7,000,000 (Cesar Chavez to Guadalupe - through the hotel section)

San Antonio River/San Pedro Creek LINK Project 0.3 $2,000,000 (Preliminary Design/Feasibility)

Subtotal 1.0 $32,900,000 -

9 San Pedro Creek Phase 3 Rendering San Antonio River/San Pedro Creek LINK Project Rendering

10 San Antonio Watershed: Projects

Westside Creeks Restoration Project Length Estimated Project (miles) Project Objectives Cost Westside Creeks Ecosystem Restoration 11.0 $27,500,000 (Alazán, Apache and Martinez Creeks) U.S. Army Corps of Engineers/San Antonio River Authority - local match

Zarzamora Creek Trail Connection 2.5 $8,000,000 (Tierra Del Sol Park to Alderete Park)

Martinez Creek Trail 1.5 $4,800,000 (Cincinnati St. to Alazán Creek Confluence)

Subtotal 15.0 $40,300,000 -

11 Alazán Creek

Martinez Creek Trail Rendering

Restoration Example

12 San Antonio Watershed: Projects

Brackenridge Park and Vicinity Project Length Estimated Project Objectives (miles) Project Cost San Antonio River Ecosystem Restoration 0.7 $14,500,000 (Tuleta low water crossing to Mulberry Street, including restoration of parkland) Spirit Reach 0.3 $10,000,000 (Connecting Brackenridge Park to the headwaters at UIW) San Antonio Zoo Well Replacement - $2,000,000 In partnership with other funders River Road Restoration 0.8 $2,000,000 (Mulberry to Highway 281, including amenities) U.S. Army Corps of Engineers/San Antonio River Authority - local match Broadway Connection to Brackenridge Park/Spirit Reach 0.7 $8,000,000 (Austin Hwy to Burr Rd, including water quality and drainage enhancements) Subtotal 2.5 $36,500,000 -

13 Brackenridge Park Hildebrand Underpass

14 Erosion, River Road

Broadway Connection Rendering

Proposed Restoration

15 Medina Watershed

Medina River Trail Connection to Texas A&M Medina River Trail Connection to Von Ormy Mitchell Lake Enhancements

1616 Medina Watershed: Projects

Medina River and Vicinity Project Length Estimated Project (miles) Project Objectives Cost 3.0 $9,000,000 Medina River Trail Connection to Texas A&M (Texas A&M campus to existing Medina River trail)

7.0 $21,000,000 Medina River Trail Connection to Von Ormy (City of Von Ormy to existing trailhead at Medina River Natural Area)

- $2,000,000 Mitchell Lake Enhancements (Texas Native Tree Arboretum and Walking Trail)

Medina Watershed Total 10.0 $32,000,000 -

17 Medina River at Von Ormy Mitchell Lake

18 Salado Watershed

Salado Creek Ecosystem Restoration Salado Creek Connection to the San Antonio River/Mission Reach Menger Creek Connection to Salado Creek Mud Creek Trail Connection

1919 Salado Watershed: Projects

Salado Creek and Vicinity

Project Length Estimated Project Objectives (miles) Project Cost Salado Creek Ecosystem Restoration 4.0 $20,000,000 (Willow Springs Golf Course to Southside Lions Park, including trail connections and amenities) 7.9 $25,280,000 Salado Creek connection to the San Antonio River/Mission Reach (Military Drive to the existing Espada Trail)

Menger Creek Connection to Salado Creek - $8,000,000 (ATT Center to Salado Creek) Mud Creek Trail Connection 4.0 $12,800,000 (McAllister Park to Bulverde Road)

Salado Watershed Total 15.9 $66,080,000 -

20 Erosion, Salado Creek Trail Mud Creek Trail

21 Leon Watershed

Leon Creek Trail Connection – Rodriguez Park Leon Creek Trail Connection – Raymond Russell Park Leon Creek Trail Connection – Pearsall Park to Spicewood Park Culebra Creek trail Connection – Cathedral Rock Park to Culebra Road

2222 Leon Watershed: Projects

Leon Creek and Vicinity Project Length Estimated Project (miles) Project Objectives Cost Leon Creek Trail Connection to Rodriguez Park 3.2 $10,240,000 (Military Drive at 410 to Rodriguez Park, continuing on to Levi Strauss Park)

Leon Creek Trail Connection to Raymond Russell Park 1.5 $4,800,000 (Dominion Road to Raymond Russell Park) Leon Creek Trail Extension 4.0 $12,800,000 (Pearsall Park to Spicewood Park)

Culebra Creek Trail Extension 1.5 $4,800,000 (Cathedral Rock Park to Culebra Road)

Leon Watershed Total 10.2 $32,640,000 -

23 Leon Creek at Raymond Russell Park Trailhead at Rodriguez Park

24 Next Steps

• Review project scope, costs and schedule

• Continue coordination with collaborating entities to explore leveraging opportunities and determine roles and responsibilities for project implementation

• Present final proposed project list to Commissioners Court in April 2021 for budget consideration